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Customer & Contract Publishing

Customer publishing is the part of the industry most readers never think of as publishing. Membership magazines, airline and supermarket titles and the content agencies behind them reach millions of people, often with circulations that consumer titles would envy.

The purpose is different too. A membership magazine is usually there to keep members renewing, and a brand title has to show a return for the client paying for it. That creates a running question about independence, and the strongest titles tend to have an editorial identity of their own rather than sounding like the organisation behind them.

If there’s something customers don’t need more of today, it’s content.

Jackie Scully Customer media

The agencies have changed shape around this. They produce fewer print editions and more digital content, and put far more effort into distribution and income generation, while publishers' own branded content studios compete for the same budgets. Print still matters, though. Members continue to rank the magazine among the benefits they value most.

Below you'll find some of our best feature articles on customer and contract publishing, from membership magazines and in-flight titles to content agencies and branded content studios, alongside our latest news and industry commentary.


Essential Resources

Customer media
Best Practice in Publishing

Customer media

We asked Jackie Scully, managing director at Think, what does best practice publishing look like in customer media? This is what she said…

People, passions and places
INTERVIEW

People, passions and places

The National Trust is a treasure trove of historic and beautiful places, and, unsurprisingly, it has a huge membership. One of the benefits of membership is its highly regarded magazine…

The River Group
PUBLISHER PROFILE

The River Group

Content marketing is all the rage, and companies like River, that have been doing it for over twenty years, are highly expert at it. River CEO Nicola Murphy tells Jo Bowman that while quality content is the bedrock of the company, it’s the marketing

Membership publishers wrestle with content conundrum
RESEARCH

Membership publishers wrestle with content conundrum

Content has become mission-critical for many membership organisations. But, Mike Sewell asks, should this valuable asset be regarded as an exclusive member benefit, or used as a marketing tool?

Join the club
FEATURE

Join the club

Lots of publishers are now offering club style membership schemes, looking to generate extra revenue and deeper engagement. Dickon Ross looks at the membership model.

Customer media
The Digital Transformation Journey

Customer media

Ann Hartland, group business and strategy director, Cedar Communications, tells Ciar Byrne about how the customer media sector is managing the digital transformation journey.

Opportunities & Threats: Customer Media
FEATURE

Opportunities & Threats: Customer Media

What does the future hold for customer media? CPL One’s Sarah Simpson, looks ahead.

AOP CRUNCH: Driving growth through branded content
REVIEW

AOP CRUNCH: Driving growth through branded content

Spring hasn’t sprung until CRUNCH takes place, writes Richard Reeves, MD of the Association of Online Publishers, which recently held its first CRUNCH event of the year. The mood was suitably optimistic for a change of season.


All Articles

Publisher Podcast Awards – winners announced
News

Publisher Podcast Awards – winners announced

Media Voices has announced the winners of its inaugural Publisher Podcast Awards, following a ceremony on Wednesday night at Proud Cabaret City, London.

06/03/2020

Elpical announces new version of image enhancement software
News

Elpical announces new version of image enhancement software

Elpical Software has announced the release of Claro V12, its image enhancement software.

02/03/2020

River strengthens strategic team with two new directors
News

River strengthens strategic team with two new directors

The River Group has appointed Allan Moffat as strategy director and Joely Carey as non-exec editorial director.

27/02/2020

PPG: the things they said
REVIEW

PPG: the things they said

The Publishing Partners Guide, InPublishing’s annual supplier directory, also contains ten articles. Here is a snippet from each…

By James Evelegh  |  20/02/2020

Time & motion
COMMENT

Time & motion

Are your publishing systems fit for purpose? The only way to find out is to watch how your journalists use them.

By James Evelegh  |  13/02/2020

Opportunities & Threats: Customer Publishing
COMMENT

Opportunities & Threats: Customer Publishing

With concern for the environment growing, brands expect their publishing agencies to deliver on a green agenda.

By Mike Sewell  |  03/02/2020

How can magazines help save the planet?
FEATURE

How can magazines help save the planet?

The last few months have seen extensive flooding in England and devasting bushfires in Australia. With the nightly news full of alarming stories about the impact of climate change, it’s never been more important for all of us to do our bit.

By Jo Beattie  |  03/02/2020

Archant Dialogue creates first ever Braille version of Kalendar
News

Archant Dialogue creates first ever Braille version of Kalendar

Archant Dialogue has produced a unique version of the Jockey Club South West’s annual magazine, Kalendar, designed to bring its content to an audience that includes the visually impaired.

20/12/2019

River wins Crafts magazine contract
News

River wins Crafts magazine contract

The River Group has announced that it has won the contract to publish Crafts magazine, the flagship publication from the Crafts Council.

20/12/2019

Togetherness: 5 minutes with… Rob Barham
Q&A

Togetherness: 5 minutes with… Rob Barham

In today’s challenging publishing environment, how can publishers work better together and with their supply chain partners, to ensure a profitable publishing future? We get the views of Rob Barham, group sales director at Air Business.

By Rob Barham  |  19/12/2019

Manson Group buys Heidelberg XL106
News

Manson Group buys Heidelberg XL106

The Manson Group has marked its 50th birthday with the acquisition of a Heidelberg XL 106 from Exel Printing Machinery.

18/12/2019

vjoon unveils new DAM platform
News

vjoon unveils new DAM platform

In November, at its vjoonity events in New York and Hamburg, vjoon unveiled a new digital asset management platform, vjoon seven.

13/12/2019

PPA Scottish Magazine Awards 2019 – winners announced
News

PPA Scottish Magazine Awards 2019 – winners announced

The winners of this year’s PPA Scottish Magazine Awards were announced on 28 November, at a celebratory party at The Hub in Edinburgh.

29/11/2019

BSME Awards 2019 – winners announced
News

BSME Awards 2019 – winners announced

The winners of the 2019 BSME Awards were announced this week, at The Sheraton Grand London Park Lane Hotel.

21/11/2019

Digital editions: 5 minutes with… Paul DeHart
Q&A

Digital editions: 5 minutes with… Paul DeHart

In a world where people are drowning in content, much of it of dubious quality, digital editions from credible publishers can cut-through the noise. We grab five minutes with BlueToad’s Paul DeHart to talk about the latest trends in digital editions.

By Paul DeHart  |  21/11/2019

814 articles